WHY LEMONS 

 

Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C and

flavonoids, which are antioxidants. Antioxidants help

remove free radicals that can damage cells from the body.

These nutrients can help prevent Trusted Source 

diseases and boost health and well being.

Here some of the possible benefits of consuming lemons.

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Lowering stroke risk -

According to a 2012 study, the flavonoids in citrus fruits may help lower the risk of ischemic stroke in women.

A study of data from nearly 70,000 women over 14 years showed that those who ate the most citrus fruits had a 19% lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least.

Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It can happen when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain.

A 2019 population study Trusted Source showed that long term, regular consumption of foods that contain flavonoids might help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, the study indicated that people who smoked or consumed a lot of alcohol were less likely to benefit.

Potassium may help lower the risk of stroke. Which foods contain potassium?

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Blood pressure -

One 2014 study Trusted Source found that women in Japan who walked regularly and consumed lemon every day had lower blood pressure than those who did not.

More research is needed to identify the role of lemon in this improvement and to discover whether consuming lemon can help reduce blood pressure since walking daily can also lower blood pressure.

Which other foods can help lower blood pressure?

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Cancer prevention -

Lemons and lemon juice are an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C.

Antioxidants may help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage that can lead to cancer. However, exactly how antioxidants can help prevent cancer remains unclear.

Which other foods are high in antioxidants?

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Maintaining a healthy complexion -

Vitamin C plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, the support system of the skin.

Sun exposure, pollution, age, and other factors can result in skin damage. A 2014 mouse study suggested that either eating vitamin C in its natural form or applying it topically can help prevent this type of damage.

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Preventing asthma -

People with asthma who consume higher amounts of vitamin C and other nutrients when they have a cold may experience fewer asthma attacks, according to one review.

The authors found evidence that

vitamin C also benefited people with bronchial hypersensitivity when they also had a common cold.

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Increasing iron absorption -

Iron deficiency is a leading cause of anemia.

Pairing foods that are high in vitamin C with iron-rich foods maximizes Trusted Source the body's ability to absorb iron.

However, a high intake of vitamin C can trigger gastrointestinal problems in people who are taking iron supplements. For this reason, it is best to obtain iron from dietary sources, such as beef liver, lentils, raisins, dried beans, animal meats, and spinach.

Squeezing a little lemon juice onto a salad containing baby spinach leaves can help maximize the intake of both iron and vitamin C.

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Boosting the immune system -

Foods that are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants may help strengthen the immune system against the germs that cause the common cold and the flu.

One review found that, while vitamin C supplements do not appear the reduce the incidence of colds in a population, they may help reduce the length of time a cold lasts. Vitamin C may also help boost immunity in people who are undergoing extreme physical activity.

Squeezing a whole lemon into a glass of hot water with a large spoonful of honey makes a soothing drink for someone with a cough or cold.

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Weight loss -

In a 2008 study Trusted Source, rodents who consumed lemon peel phenols with a high fat diet for 12 weeks gained less weight than those who did not consume lemon.

In 2016, 84 premenopausal Korean women with a high body mass index (BMI) followed a lemon detox diet or another diet for 7 days. Those who followed the lemon detox diet experienced greater improvements in insulin resistance, body fat, BMI, body weight, and waist-hip ratio than those on the other diets.

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Vitamin C -

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient and an antioxidant. If a person does not consume enough vitamin C, they will develop a deficiency, which is known as scurvy. It is rare in the United States, but it can affect people who do not have a varied diet.

Symptoms can start to appear within a month of not consuming vitamin C, and they include:

• fatigue

• malaise (a feeling of being unwell)

• inflammation of the gums or bleeding gums

• red patches on the skin due to blood vessels breaking beneath the surface

• joint pain

• slow wound healing

• loosening of teeth

• depression

Many of these happen when the connective tissues weaken due to the lack of vitamin C. Since vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, people who are deficient in iron may also develop anemia.

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Nutrition -

One lemon weighing 58 grams (g) contains:

• energy: 16.8 calories (kcal)

• carbohydrates: 5.41 g, of which 1.45 g are sugars

• calcium 15.1 milligrams (mg)

• iron: 0.35 mg

• magnesium: 4.6 mg

• phosphorus: 9.3 mg

• potassium: 80 mg

• selenium: 0.2 micrograms (mcg)

• vitamin C: 30.7 mg

• folate: 6.4 mcg

• choline: 3.0 mg

• vitamin A: 0.6 mcg

• lutein + zeaxanthin: 6.4 mcg

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Current dietary guidelines trusted source recommend an intake of 75 mg of vitamin C per day for women aged 19 years and older and 90 mg per day for men.

Smokers need 35 mg per day more than nonsmokers.

Lemons also contain small amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, copper, and manganese.

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